


The Cold Turns to Warmth

by whatwhyareyoureadingthis



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Androgyny, Constructive Criticism Welcome, Eventual Romance, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Horrortale Papyrus (Undertale), Horrortale Sans (Undertale), I'm Bad At Tagging, Mental Health Issues, Neighbors, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Rating May Change, Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, gender noncomforming reader, reader is gnc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-08 00:30:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15919320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatwhyareyoureadingthis/pseuds/whatwhyareyoureadingthis
Summary: Life hadn't always been fair to you, but you'd taken a long road to be happy with yourself. One of those steps happened to be getting your own place. But now you have a pair of skeleton brothers as neighbors. Can you befriend them both? Will mental health push a block between you and them? Will something more arise? You'll just have to see.





	1. Why Thank You, I'll Try Not To Be Tasteless

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fic for Undertale, and more specifically, Horrortale! If you have any questions on characterization or in general, along with comments and critiques, please leave a comment OR send me an ask @youhavemyheartren on tumblr! Thanks for reading y'all!!!

"FUCK MY ENTIRE ASS!" The box labeled 'books' that you had been trying to carry fell to the ground with a loud thud. Bright red, you looked around. Luckily nobody was near the apartment complex you had been trying to move your stuff into to hear your rather loud swearing. Actually, now that you thought about it, you hadn't really seen anybody. After checking the books inside the box for damage, you managed to balance it well enough to stumble back to the main doors. After trying to grab the door handle while still carrying the box, annoyingly bigger than the others, you huffed and turned to set the box down.

"Ah- human? Did you need some help with the door?" Even from behind, the voice was obviously muffled. You turned and promptly dragged your gaze up from the blue sweater to his face, half covered by a cat mouth dust mask. It was only after a second, that you realized the person who had asked if you needed help was in fact a very tall skeleton, and of course you had heard about the monsters coming up from the underground, though you yourself had never seen a skeleton monster-

"Human? Are you okay?" And you realized you had been staring while your brain was short circuiting.

"Ah I'm sorry! Thank you, if you could just hold the door open." You replied cheerily. Even if you hadn't seen a skeleton until now, didn't mean it was an excuse to be unnecessarily rude. Hoisting the box back up to lean it on your chest, you walked through the now open doorway. "I hate to ask, but this box is really hard to pick up, would you mind helping me get up to my place? It's on level 3." The tall skeleton turned to you, and you could tell even through the dust mask that he was beaming. Man, he seemed really sweet.

"Of course, uh- I'm Papyrus by the way, me and my older brother live on level 3 too!" He chattered as you both meandered towards the old and dim elevator.

"Oh nice! I live in room 312."

"We live in room 315! Maybe once you get settled in we can all... uh- I mean-"

"We could all hang out? A dinner would be a nice idea, especially so I don't lose all my cooking skill!" You supplied helpfully at Papyrus's sudden nervousness. He looked absolutely delighted, and while you weren't a biology major, art history actually, the sight of his cheeks lifting still boggled you.

"That sounds amazing! Well, uh, you'll have to stop by our room once you get settled in so we can arrange a t-time!"

Smiling, you said your goodbyes and kicked the door to your apartment a little wider, and promptly dropped the box next to the door. Letting out a groan from your achy muscles, you thanked your past-self for leaving the most difficult box for last. Sitting on the floor, you looked around your new place. It was... pretty plain, considering that the walls couldn't be painted or drilled into, and your lack of major furniture. But still, it was all yours, easily payed for with your job at the student's bookstore and the money your boyfriend would pop into your account once a month. Speaking of which, considering it was only 4 pm, you decided to call him.  
Speed-dialing his number, it only took a couple rings before his excited voice met your ears.

"Hey sweetheart, you finished moving in?"

"Yeah, still gotta go get some furniture but it's looking pretty sweet. And speaking of sweet-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, you don't even have to finish that sentence for me to know exactly what you wanna know." Although his voice was  
probably trying to sound annoyed, you could still hear that amused smile. "Me and George went out again this week, and I think he's gonna make it official."

"Oh my god! Babe that's great!" It had taken years of communication and trust to build up to your current relationship, but god it was worth it. You had always known you were polyamorous, but being that in theory was a lot easier than in practice. Still, you were always so happy to hear about his love life all the way across the country, and while you knew he still wasn't quite used to pushing past his over-protectiveness, he still would ask about your basically nonexistent love life.

"Yeah, to be honest I'm really excited." You and your boyfriend chattered away for another half hour before you started yawning and politely excused yourself.

"Bye babe!"  
It was pretty early for any excitement, but you couldn't help but feel hope and excitement at your new life.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nervous. You decided that was a good word for how you felt. Of course, you were about knock on your neighbor's door who you barely knew. You knocked, your knuckles catching on the uneven veneer of the door. After a few beats of silence, the door swung open to what you could only guess as Papyrus's brother. Unlike Papyrus, he wasn't a giant. A good 6 feet tall with a maroon beanie, and one glowing red eye.  
After a few seconds of silence, you offered up an introduction. "Hello, I'm sorry to bother you like this, but me and Papyrus met the other day and we were talking about maybe having dinner? Is he home right now?" His silence was beginning to get under your skin, as you fidgeted with the seam of your aloha shirt.

"... he's in the living room. come in." His voice was rough, but the words dripped out like honey. He turned and opened the door wider, revealing the pale walls of the hallway. You stepped in, and he closed the door behind you.

Realizing you'd never gotten his name, you asked him. "... s- axe." You noted the slip, but refrained from prying. Having him lumber behind you was making your hair stand up on end as you walked through the narrow entry hall. As the living room came into sight, you were glad to see Papyrus sitting on the couch. He was messing with some sort of cube. "... your friend's here." Axe's voice, now coming from the half wall separating the kitchen and the living room, alerted Papyrus. Papyrus, having been suddenly pulled from his concentration, promptly stood up and dropped what could now see as a Rubik cube. You were ashamed to say that the first thing you noticed was his missing mask, and subsequently his teeth. They were crooked, and almost too long for his face. 

Shaking off the shock of seeing his teeth, you smiled in return. "Hello human friend! Did you finish moving in already?"

You nodded, "Earlier today actually! I just thought I'd stop by and decide on a time for the dinner, I assume Axe is coming too?" 

Papyrus smile tensed at his brother's name, and they shared a look before Papyrus responded, "A-Axe would love to come! Did you have any preference for a time? My brother usually works night shift so we'd have to have dinner on one of his days off, which for this week is... today and tomorrow!" Papyrus seemed almost distraught at this, and seemed to sink in on himself. "I am sorry for the inconvenience friend, it is understandable if you are busy tomorrow night." Papyrus's fingers, almost imperceptibly began picking at the thin scratches and cracks in his forearm.

"I can do tomorrow Papyrus!" You replied quickly. He seemed so sweet and yet so down on himself, how could you say no to him? His eyes practically lit up like Christmas lights as he quickly pulled you into a hug.

"Human friend! My brother and I truly cannot wait for your dinner!" He pulled away and dug through his coat pocket, before handing you his phone.

"Oh right, I should give you my number!" Quickly adding in your digits, you passed the scratched phone back to him. "Sorry to leave so quickly but I have some errands to get to before it gets dark. It was good to see you Papyrus! And nice to meet you Axe!" You called over your shoulder as you closed the door behind you.

Axe breathed a sigh far too close to relief, and walked out from behind the counter to join Papyrus in the living room. "... you helped them move in?"  
"Oh Yes! They moved in a few doors away! This is so exciting, we haven't made a human friend yet." Papyrus turned to Axe, his grin wide and genuine. 

"it's been 3 years now, right Pap?" The slight hitch of worry in his voice, was not missed by Papyrus. 

"Yes that's right! 3 years on the surface, it's about time we started making friends!!" The excitement in his voice was crystal clear. "I hope this dinner goes as well as I hope!"

"... i'm sure it won't be _tasteless _bro." Papyrus's groan solidified the hope in Axe. What was the worst that could happen at a little neighborly dinner?__


	2. You Fucked Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You'd think inviting your neighbors over for dinner wouldn't cause too much drama, but life is full of surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I got really excited for this next chapter so I'll be posting it now instead of next week as I had planned. I hope you guys enjoy it, and once again let me know what you think in the comments OR message me on tumblr! Thanks y'all!

Humming, you chopped at the crisp veggies. It had been a tough last-minute decision, but you had finally settled on what you affectionately referred to as throw-the-fridge-in-too stew. It had been something your mother made a lot for you and your sisters growing up. Essentially, any vegetables, any meat, and as many spices as you had. In your opinion, it was the height of working class cuisine. 

The checkered kitchen floor reflected you as you slid from the stove back to the plastic countertops. You certainly weren't the best at cooking, but after having watched your mother for years you picked up a few things. Sliding back to the stove, you tossed in the freshly diced onion. Already the stew was red and chunky, just like it was supposed to be. 

Grabbing the oversized metal spoon that was resting on the edge of the stove, you took a sip, a piece of beef surprising you. It was... okay, but you hadn't gotten to your favorite part, the same part that you considered yourself to really shine. Tossing in some herb blend, along with paprika, garlic salt, and pepper, you smiled as the smell hit you. 

And just as you smiled, you remembered. You hadn't asked either of your neighbors what they like to eat. You weren't even sure if skeleton monsters could eat human food, unlike some of the monsters you had met since they emerged from the underground. Taking a deep breath, it wouldn't make sense since they probably would've straight out told you if they couldn't. Still, you were nervous. Again. You shook away the nerves as best you could and tasted the now seasoned stew. The only way you could describe it was "Mwah!". Your sisters never liked your over-seasoning, but hey, at least you were having fun with it.

A glance at the clock told you you had a little less than a half hour before your neighbors (friends?) arrived. Papyrus wasn't a great texter, his finger bones a bit too inhuman for the touchscreen to really detect, and you had ended up having to call him to get a proper time. You put the lid back on the pot and walked over to your closet. One benefit of a studio apartment was that you never really left the kitchen, so no worry of accidentally letting it burn too badly. 

Browsing through your clothes, you decided it would be more awkward if you were too overdressed, and settled on a pair of acid wash jeans, a brown belt, and a tucked-in green button-up. You were lucky, you thought as you strode back to the kitchen. You had gotten 3 chairs when you decided to move to your own place, simply because your boyfriend or your sisters might visit. And boy, it was gonna come in handy. Grabbing a few plates from one of the creaky cabinets, you set the table, adding in a flowery table cloth to make your new place just a bit more welcoming.

You heard a knock at the door, and glancing at the time again, you could only assume it was Papyrus and Axe. Unlocking and opening the door, your assumption was confirmed. Papyrus, still as tall as ever, was wearing a light blue chunky sweater, with deep blue jeans. Axe made an intimidating figure in your doorway. His maroon beanie from before still graced his skull, and he wore a fluffy blue jacket, a white t-shirt, and pain black pants.

"Hey guys! Right on time, I just set the table, come on in!" Papyrus smiled happily, while Axe strayed behind as you closed the door. Even with your back turned, you could somehow feel him watching you. "Welcome to my humble abode, explore as much as you like. I'd say my house is your house but it'd be pretty weird if you both suddenly moved in to my studio apartment." Axe smirked, less than a smile but still progress from his usual unforgiving gaze.

"Ah, thank you again for inviting us human! We were both rather excited to finely get to know one of our neighbors, especially if it's a nice one like you!" Papyrus, you had noticed, was always hunched awkwardly to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling. That just made him more adorable as he unsubtly nudged Axe. 

"... yeah, thank you." He didn't sound like he was trying to be rude, and the way he kept going between and eyesocket made you think he could just be nervous. 

"Oh it's no problem! I wanted to test out my neighbor skills, and you guys have been real sweet to me since I moved in. Makes sense that I'd return the favor." With that, you guided the brothers over to your set dinner table. "Why don't you two take a seat, and I'll go serve us up some food." Grabbing the bowls you had set out, you moved back towards the kitchen, willing yourself to not be clumsy for once in your life. For once, it worked, and you managed to serve them and you in only 2 trips. "Uh, dig in I guess! Let me know if you need any salt or pepper. " 

Sitting in your (embarrassingly) creaky chair, you began slowly eating the stew, still watching for their reactions. Axe was digging in, defensively postured as if to keep his bowl from being snatched away. You weren't going to make any assumptions, but a part of you wondered if he had grown up working class, as you had. 

"You seem to have a lot of history books human!" Papyrus's voice startled you out of your train of thought. His gaze was directed at the piles of books you had in the corner, vaguely organized and neatly against the wall.

"Yeah, I'm actually an art history major at the local community college! Those books were in the box I was having trouble with when you helped me!" 

Papyrus smiled, commenting that was certainly a lot of books, and returned to his serving of stew. He was seemingly savoring the taste, but every few bites he seemed to wince. Concern overtaking any semblance of manners, you asked, "Is everything okay Papyrus?" His eyes opened wide, and immediately a blush formed on his cheeks (cheekbones?). 

"N-no, nothing's wrong, just um- my teeth are not um, great for when I eat, and uh I typically try to stay away from meat." Papyrus stumbled over his words, clearly embarrassed.

Before you could apologize to him, Axe interjected, "... This girl said she recognized me from a vegetarian restaurant, but I'd never met herbivore." With that seemingly out-of-nowhere joke, Papyrus groaned loudly, letting his skull fall into his hands. Axe watched you as you let out a confused chuckle.

"You're killing me, you're killing your brother." Axe grinned at this, and you realized it was the first time you had really seen him smile. At the same time, you realized he had very unsubtly changed the subject. Looking at Papyrus suppressing a smile, it seemed to have worked perfectly. Axe pointedly swallowed another spoonful, glancing at you and Papyrus. 

Not wanting to further upset Papyrus, you began eating your stew again, and he seemed to relax slightly and avoid the more chunky vegetables and the meat in his serving. You were close to finishing when you realized that both the brothers seemed to be close as well. "Did you guys want any seconds? I always make more than I need when I cook stew." With quick, happy nods from both, you stood and attempted to maneuver around Axe's seat.

Whatever god had given you a semblance of grace earlier seized it away, for as you side-stepped his chair, your foot caught on the leg. With a start, both your hands went to grab the back of the chair. Extremely unluckily, Axe had been watching you, and his beanie was the first thing you grabbed at, along with the back of the chair. 

You breathed a sigh of relief as you had surprisingly avoided falling, but it took only a second for that relief turned to shock as you realized you had revealed a large gaping hole in Axe's head. Axe stood suddenly, his body tense. Without a single word, he stalked out of your studio apartment, slamming the door behind him. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" You called out, only to have Papyrus come up to your side, a forgiving yet sad smile on his face. 

"I know human, I'm sorry this didn't go as well as either of us planned." Papyrus quickly said his goodbyes, and left to go calm Axe, and you were left sitting at the table, maroon beanie still clutched in your hand.


End file.
